Fabric-feeding device



May. 6, 193.0.`

, E. F. MAAS FABRIC FEEDING DEVICE Fi1ed June 21, 1927 4 SheetS-Sheet SWOT nu FABRIC FEEDING DEVICE Filed June 2l, 1927 Sheets-Sheet 2 guion/w11 20m/qms. l

E; F. M-AAs 1,757,935

FABRIC FEEDING DEVICE F1ed June 2l. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 6, 1930.

FABR-I C FEEDING DEVICE Filed June 21, 192'? 4 sheets-sneer l4 fig. 5. fig. 6.

' 125 1e vl 12er` 2i as A 21 SWW/nto@ aucun Patented May 6, 1930 Unirse stares narrar critics` ELOV F. MAAS, OF AKRONfOI-IIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODYEAR 'lfIREs RUBBER OOM- PANY, OF AKRON, OHO, A'COREORATION 0F 'OHO FABRIC-FEEDING DEVlCE Application `iled. .Tune 21,

My invention relates 'to machines for manipulating rolls of flexible material and vide a machine of the above vdesignated char- -acter which is substantially automaticin its operation. j

A furtherobject of my invention'is to provide a fabric' feeding device which is adapted to maintain the fabric stock in aligned rela- "tion with `yrespect tov the-bias cutter in conjunction -With which itis adapt-ed 'to be employed.

Another object of this inventi'on'i'syto provide a .fabric feeding device so designed that a rollof 'rubberized fabrictogether with a liner within which the fabricis `Wound is adapted tobe unrolled and the-fabric sup'- ilied to a cutting machine free from Wrinkles and injurious distortion-` 1 ln1 preparingrubberized goods embodying a fabric reinforcing medium, the textile materialv generally is incorporated into a rubber prolzluct by a processof calendcring,'which cpc-ration serves `to impregnate the fabric with rubber. The rubber impregnating operationis generally performed, either on a train calender ory a suitable spreading mechanism. Byreaeon of the adhesive-properties which characterize unvulcanized rubber, it

nis paramount importancethat the :treated fabric -bel protected from `f engagement with other plastic bodies. mon practice to interpose between adjacent layersfofrubberied stoclr'a layer of fabric ofsubstantiallythesanie Width-as the stock 1927. serial No. 200,493.

itself;-

, c, rlfhe fabric-layer employed for this ese' is usually designated as a liner.

vfith this precaution the difficulties encountered `in handling treated stock Wound in the form of a roll are, to a large measure,

overcome. However, When it becomes necessary to senarat'e theliner from the stock, considerableforce is required, which, if not aped evenly, tends to distort not only the rm eriaed pr duct, but also the liner'. Such distortion is objectionable, first, because stock which has been strained and distorted cannot 't accurately on 'a bias cutter, thus resulta considerable Waste; and second, bea liner which has been distorted is'lilrely to wrinkle, thereby involving difficulties when agi/,ainY brought into Contact With a plastic material.

@ne ofthe greater problems incidental to e unwinding of material of t-he character designated lies in preventing the rubberized sto-cli and liner from becoming injured by distortion and wrinkles. f Also the material cannot be properly cut or measured When it is distort-ed or 'wrinkled Besides failing to obviat'e these disadvantages previously known machines have required an attendant, at. all Vtimes to be present to operate them. An additional 'difliculty incidental to the use of the previously known machines is that lateral variations occurring in the roll of the steelt during the original Winding-up process Areappear when that stock is unwound and fed to a bias cutter. According tomy invention, se several disadvantages are obviated, as will apparent from this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the *'specification, of which:

l is a side elevational'vievv, partially in cross-section, illustrating a fabric feeding device embodying the principles of my invention broken away for'tlie salte-of clear'ness;

3 is a plan View, on a larger scale, of aligning element-'s embodying parts of the invention;

Fig. 2 isa plan view of the structure illusl j :tratcd oy F 1g. l, portions thereof being To thisl end 1t 1s com- Fig` 4 is a cross-sectional view taken sub` stantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2 5

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View, on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line V-V of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, partially in cross-section, showing a fastening device embodied in my invention;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale, of an actuating mechanism, the vieW being taken substantially along the line VII-VII of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a plan View, on a larger scale, of a valve controlling device;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a device similar to the device shown by Fig. 8; and

Fig. l0 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the relative arrangement of a machine embodying my invention and a bias cutter.

In practicing my invention, I provide a fabric feeding device comprising a stationary base 2l having a central cylindrical portion 22 and an annular race ring 23 adjacent its outer periphery. A platform 24, having a race ring 25 complementary to the race ring 23, rests upon roller bearings 2G disposed hetween the race rings and is maintained in axial alignment with the base 2l by means of an integral cylindrical bearings portions 27 that is disposed snugly Within the cylindrical portion 22.

The platform 24 is thus rotatably mounted upon the base 2l about a. vertical axis. In order to lock the platform in a stationary predetermined position, a lever 28 having bifurcated portions 29 is pivoted to a flange 32 of the platform. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the lever has a pair of fingers 33 adapted to straddle either of a pair of diametrically opposite lugs 34 and 35 that are formed integrally with the base 2l. By actuating the lever 28, the fingers are moved from their normal position of straddling the lugs 34 and 35 and the platform and base can be relatively rotated 180o and again locked against relative rotation.

The platform 24 is composed of two oppositely disposed pairs of arms 36 which support two so-called fabric feeding units 38 and 39, one of which is adapted to be operated While the other is idle. The platform is synnnetrically constructed and the fabric feeding units 38 and 39 are identical in construction, and accordingly like reference characters will be employed to designate corresponding parts of both units.

Two channel elements 42 and 43 are supported transversely upon the arms 36 and are provided with rollers 44 and 45 journa-lled at their ends in bars 46 and 47, respectively. rFliese rollers rest upon the bottom of the channels and are movable together With the bars 46 and 47 longitudinally of the channel elements. Parallel upright frames 48 and 49, having base portions 52 and 53, are secured together by means of elongate plates 54 and 55 which rest upon the respective rollers 44 and 45, and so support the units 38 and 39 that they may be moved upon the rollers transversely of the platform 24. A plurality of rollers 56 and 57 rotatably mounted upon brackets 58 and 59 secured to the plates 54 and respectively, engage the flanges of the channel elements 42 and 43 and serve to guide the units in their movement transversely of the arms 3G.

Uppositely disposed bearing brackets 62 mounted upon the frames 48 and 49 rotatably support stud shafts 63 and 64 which are provided With inwardly extending end portions 65 and 6G having slots 67 therein, that are adapted to receive axial shaft portions 68 of a shell 69 upon which a roll 72 of fabric and liner material is Wound.

As best shown by Fig. 4, a collar 73 surrounds the end of the stud shaft 63 and is provided with an integral radially inwardly extending lug 74 which slidably engages the end of the shaft 68 and thereby maintains the shell 89 in axial alignment with the stud shafts 63 and 64. The collar 73 is maintained in close engagement With the shaft G3 by means of a coil spring 75 and a spherical member 7 6, both of which are disposed Within a recess 77 in the collar opposite the lug 74. In order to move the collar axially, the spherical member must also be so moved as to compress the spring 75. rFhis construction is provided for the purpose of facilitating the replenishing of rolls 72 that are Wound upon the shells 69.

One end of the stud shaft 63 rigidly supports a brake drum 78 having a brake band 79 disposed thereabout, one end of the band being secured by means of a collar 82 mounted upon a rod 83. A bracket 84 that is bolted to each of the frames 48 and 49 rigidly supports the rod 83. The other end of the brake band is secured, as indicated at 85, to the lower end of a screw threaded bolt 86, which is disposed slidably through the rod 83 and which is threaded through a hand Wheel 87. By turning the hand Wheel, the brake band is either tightened or loosened about the drum 78 according to its direction of rotation.

A portion of the material constituting the roll 72 is unwound therefrom and extends upwardly, as indicated at 88, to an idler roller 89 journalled at each end in the frames and 49. The material is directed over the idler roller 89, and thence beneath a second roller 92 Which is also journalled in the frames 48 and 49. The component Iparts of the roll of material 72 include a relatively Wide strip of rubberized fabric 93 and a relatively Wide fabric liner 94 Within the convolutions of which the rubberized fabric is Wound.

A pair of gears 95 are secured adjacent the opposite ends of the roller 92 inside the frame bracket 105.

members 48 and 49 and are intermeshed with similar gears 96 rigidly mounted upon roller 97 which also is journalled at its ends in the frames 48 and 49. The rubberized fabric 93 is trained over the roller 97 and from this roller it is directed to a bias cutter 98 diagrammatically illustrated by Fig. 10.

lt will be observed that the surfaces of thej rollers 92 and 97 are very close togetherand that the rubberized fabric 93 and the liner 94, while under tension, are separated along a line between the contiguous surfaces, or at these-called nip, of the two rollers. @wing to the fact that the fabric 93 and liner 94 positively engage the rollers 97 and 92, respectively, after thev fabric Vand liner have been separated, the line of separation isniaintained uniform, and substantially parallel with the axes of the rollers. Thisarrangementpreventsthe fabric and liner from becoming distorted, wrinkled, or unevenly separated and is t iereforein better condition to be fed to a bias, cutter than it otherwise would be.

Gne end of the roller 92 is provided with a sprocket .99 which has a chain 102 disposed thereabout, the latter being also disposed about a second sprocket 103 that is rigidly secured to one end .of a roller 104. This roller v .is journalled adjacent its ends in a bear-ing bracket 105 rigidly mounted upon the frames 48-49 and is disposed parallel to the rollers 92 and 97. Twogears 106,*mountedV adjacent the ends ofthe roller 104, engage similar gears 107 which are rigidly secured adjacent the ends of a knurled roller 108. lf desirable, all of the rollers 89, 92, 97, 104 andr 108 may also be knurled. The latterroller is disposed `parallel to and immediately adjacent the roller 104 and is journalled at its ends in the The ratio between the gears 103 and 107, the sprockets 99 and 103 and the gears 92 and 9?is vsuch that the peripheral speed of all of Ithe rollers is' substantially the same.

The bracket 105 is provided with an integral projection 109 and'has an inclined surface 112 forsupportinga journal bearing 113 slidable t iereon.V A shell 114 having its ends rotatably mounted' in vthe journal bearings 113, is adapted to receive the unwound liner 94 and to rewind it. Thus, it will'be observed that the liner wound upon the shell 114 rests bygravity upon the roller 104, land as the size of the liner roll increases upongthe shell 114, the journal bearings 113 will slidably move Aupwardly upon the inclined surface 112 ofthe bracket.

A supplemental winding device 115 for rotating the roller 104 and for taking upslack in the liner 94, is mounted upon one end of the roller in conjunction with the sprocket wheel 103. A reduced Vaxial portion 116 of heroller 104 is supported within a ball bearing 117 that is disposed in an opening 118 in shown.

. the bracket 105. The ball bearing isconned within the opening between a shoulder V119 of the roller and a collar 122threaded upon the reduced portieri of the roller.v A sleeve 123 rotatably inounted upon the reduced por;

tion 116 also abutsagainst the collarV 122 and is provided with an outer enlarged portion 124 which is splined, as indicated at 125. The sleeve 123 also abuts a collar 126 keyed or otherwise rigidly secured adjacent the outerthereof intermesh with the splined portions 1.

125 of the sleeve 123.l

The s Jrocket 103 1s r10'id with or forms an integral part of ya pulley 129 which is 'rigidly secured to the sleeve VVhilethe annular locking ring 127 is in the position shown 1;.;

by Fig.: 5, the pulley 129 and lsprocket 103 are together relatively rotatable with respect to the roller 104. llowevenby moving the locking ring inwardlyl until its'splined portions interinesh with the splined portions..

125` ofthe sleeve 123,'theroller and. pulley are. locked together for concurrent rotation. A belt 132 is trained about the pulley and is driven a suitableV source of power not ln order to provide proper tightening of the belt 132 about the .pulley 129, a belt tightener 133 is provided which comprises' a roller 134 journalled upontheendA of an arm 135 and is adapted to rest against thebelt 1323-1' The arm 135 is pivotedtothe lbracket 105, as indicated atl 136'.l

lf desirable, the operation of thepower driven-pulley 129 maybe dispensed with and a manually operated crank 137 is secured tof the outer end of the roller 104 for the purpose of winding the liner 94 thereon. Either the pulley 129 or the crank 1.37 is operated only temporarily while the Vfabric.rol-ls 72 are being placed upon the machine and while-2'- the fabric 93 is being directed tothebia-s cutter 98 preparatory to the operation ofthe f latter. l

l/Vhenthe fabric 93 is moving away from one of the units 38 or- 39 after passi-ngcver the roller 97, it must `be maintainedinproper alignment with thebias cutter 98 to which itv is directed. In order to insure proper adjustment, by moving either of the units viaterally upon the rollers an usting device 138 1s provided which rs secured to the.

frame members V54-55. This device includes, and is adapted to Vbe manually operated by. a hand wheel 139 rigrdly'secured to one end of a shaft 142 that-is journalled in" the frame member 49. The other-end of the shaft is mounted in a Vjournal bea-ring 143 of bracket 144 that is connected transversely to thel plates S4-'55.

A spiral gear 145rigidly secured tothe"lla shaft 142 adjacent the bearing 143 meshes with a similar spiral gear 146 that is secured to one end ofa relatively short shaft 147 disposed at right angles to the shaft 142. This short shaft is adapted to rotate in bearings 148 and 149 forming al part of the bracket 144, and is provided with an intermediate worm 152 which meshes with a spiral gear 153 rigidly mounted upon a shaft 154.

As best shown by Fig. 2, the shaft 154 is disposed at right angles to the shaft 147 and is journalled as indicated at 155 in the sides of the bracket 144. A bell crank lever 156, having` a pair of angularly disposed arms 157 and 158, is rigidly secured at its angular portion upon the shaft The arm 157 adapted to be moved between a pair of lingers 159 of a lug 162 that is rigidly secured to the rotatable platform or base portion A second lug 163 located diametrically opposite the lug 162 and having fingers 164 is constructed and mounted in the sam-e manner as the lug 162. By rotating the hand wheel 139, the lever 156 can be so pivoted in a vertical plane that the arm 157 will be moved toward or away from the fingers When the arm is moved until it is disposed between the fingers 159, the unit 39 is locked against lateral movement upon the rollers 44-45. The other arm 158 is adapted to be moved between a pair of lingers 165 of a block 166 that is internally screw threaded. This block is threaded. upon a horizontally disposed screw threaded shaft 167 that is journalled adjacent its ends in bearing brackets 168 and 169 supported upon a base member 172. One side of the block is provided with a guiding surface 173 (Fig. 7) that is adapted to slide upon an abutting guiding surface 174 of a web 175 forming a part of the bearing brackets 168 and 169. rPhe upper portion of the web 175, together with a bar 176 hat is mounted upon the brackets 168 and 169, provides a guide 177 between, and beyond which, an integral finger 178 of the block projects. The portion of this finger extending beyond the bar 176 is disposed between two lugs 179 and 180 that are secured to opposite ends of a rack 182. The rack is rectangular in crosssection and an angular plate 183 secured to the web 175 slidably supports the rack within a horizontally disposed rectangular guiding Igroove 184 formed in one of the angular portions of the plate. A segmental gear 185, having a handle 186 extending oppositely from the geared portion thereof meshes with the rack and is rigidly mounted upon a valve stem 187 that controls a valve 188. Brackets 189 and clamping members 190 and 191 support the valve upon the base 172.

Rotation of the shaft 167 causes the block 166 to move horizontally therealong and after the block has been moved a limited dfstance in either direction, the linger 178 cn-i gages one of the lugs 179 or 180, therelw causing operation of the valve stem 187. Also the valve stem may be manually operated by manipulating the handle 186.

The valve 188 forms a connection in a pipe line 192 which receives fluid under pressure from a main supply conduit 194. A section 195 of the pipe 194, having a normally closed valve 196 therein, communicates from the high pressure line 194 to a conduit 197, which is connected to a relay valve 198. The pipe line 192 is also connected to the conduit 197. The relay valve comprises a central cylindrical portion 199 which is positively connected to two oppositely disposed cylindrical casings 200 and 201. T he three cylinders are axially aligned and a piston rod 202 has two pistons 203 and 204 secured to the respective ends thereof, and two spaced relatively smaller pistons 205 and 206 are secured to the central portion of the rod within a restricted central bore 207 of the casing 199. The outer ends of two coil springs 208 and 209 surrounding the opposite end portions of the piston rod 202 engage the pistons 203 and 204 respectively, while the inner ends thereof engage shoulders 212 and 214 formed within the cylinders 200 and 201.

Two conduits 215 and 216 connected to the cylinders 200 and 201 respectively, are also connected to a fluid motor 217, having a drive shaft 218 rigidly supporting a pinion 219. Fluid admitted under pressure to the motor 217 through the conduit 215 drives the shaft 218 in one direction, while fluid admitted under pressure through the conduit 216 drives the shaft in the opposite direction.

A relatively large gear wheel 220 meshing with the pinion 219 is rigidly mounted upon one end of a shaft 222 that is rotatably mounted in a bearing bracket 223 bolted to the base 172. A relatively small bevel gear 224 rigidly secured to the other end of the shaft 222 intermeshes with a larger bevel gear 225 that is rigidly secured. to one end of the screw threaded shaft 167.

The opposite ends of the relay valve 198 are provided with short conduits 226 and 227 which are connected to valves 228 and 229 respectively, having fluid passages therein so restricted that fluid can pass therethrough only in relatively small volumes. These valves have conduits 232 and 233 respectively communicating with a common pipe line 234 which supplies fluid under relatively lower pressure than the pressure of the fluid supply through the pipe 194. Conduits 235 and 236, also connected to the valves 228 and 229 respectively, lead to two valve controlling devices comprising blocks 237 and 238 (Figs. 2, 8 and 9) which are mounted upon rods 242 and 243. The ends of each of the rods are supported upon brackets 244 and 245 that are rigidly secured to frame members 246 and 247 supported adjacent the bias cutter 98. The blocks 237 and 238 are adapted to be slidably avances adj-usted. along the rods 242 and 243 and they can be secured in any desirable position thereon by' means of set screws 248 and 249.

The conduits 235 and 236 communicate with openings 252 and 253 in the blocks 237 and 238 which are normally closed by lever valve closures 254 and 255 pivotally mounted upon the bloclrs by means of bolts 256 and 257. Relatively small springs 258 and 259 tend to maintain the lever closures in such position that the openings anc; 253 are normally closed. Shoulder portions 262 and 2.63 and overlying portions 264 and 26.5 of the levers are provided for the purpoS of receiving the edges of the fabric material 93.

As bestv shown by Figs. 2,8 and 9', the fabric 93 travels in the direction indicated by the arrows. ln t-hev event the fabric is deflected from its proper course toward the bias cutter .f 98, it engages one of the shoulder portions 262 or 263. Assuming that the fabric engages the, portion 262:, the lever 254 is thereby pivoted until the opening 252 has been uncovered, thereby permitting fluid under pressure from the valve 228. to escape therefrom. It will be observed that under normal conditions the fluid pressure from the pipe 234 through the valves 228 and 229 to the respective pistons 203v and 204 is equalized.

In the eperationof the machine described, a roll of material 72 is mounted upon the shell 69 and is trained over the rollers 89 and 92. The fabric 9.3 is separated from the liner 94 and is trai-ned 'over the roller 97, while the liner 94 is directed about therewindingroller After the fabric has been so positioned, the circular platform 24 is rotated upon the base 21 until the fabric is substantially in alignment with the bias cutter 98. Until the elements of the machine are moved to the position just described, the outer end of the arm 157 is locked between the fingers 159 of the lug 162. By manually operating the hand wheel 139, the arm and lingers are disengaged from each other and the outer end of the other arm 158 is moved between the fingers 165 of the block 166.

The motor 217 may be operated to move the block 166 into proper alignment with the arm 158, or the unit 39 may be moved laterally upon the rollers 44 and 45, until proper alignment of these elements with the bias cutter 98 is effected. The brake band 79 serves to impart proper resistance to the unwinding of the roll 72 and to prevent idling of the shell 69 upon its bearing. By connecting the fabric 93 to the bias cutter and coinmencing operation thereof, the fabric 1s drawn from the fabric feeding device.

After the devices 237 and 238 have been so adjusted and the unwinding operation has been commenced, the fabric is drawn from the apparatus under tension in the direction indicated by the arrows shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 8. In the event there is irregularity wigthin the convolutions ,ofA the fabric constituting the roll 72 or if there are other influences which tend to deflect the fabric from a uniform straight course toward the bias cutter, the edges thereof will engage one of the shoulders 262 or 263. Assuming that one. edge of the fabric engages the shoulder 262, the. pressure willfbe diminished upon the outer side of the piston 203 of the relay valve mechanism,A and the uudiminished pressure upon the outer side. of

the other piston 204. will move the piston rod Y 202 in such direction as to establish commimication of fluid under pressure between the pipe connection-119g7 and the pipe Connection 194 through the bore 207 tol the central cylinder 199. vThis admission ofj fluid underl pressure. will operate the fluid motor 217 which lturns the screw threaded shaft 167. thereby moving the block 166,J together with the lever 156 and the unit 39, in a horizontal direction upon the rollers 44- 45. When the unit 39 has been moved sufliciently to disengage the edge of the fabric from the shoulder portion 262.,l the opening i is again closed and the fluid pressure is equali-Zved in opposite directions against the outersurfaces of the pistons 203 and 204. The pistons 203-204 and 205-206 will then move back to. their normal positions thereby arresting the flow of Vfluid to the fluid motor which will accordingly cease operation. The. lugs 179 and 1801 are provided as a safety means for automatically arresting operation of the fluid motor in the event the unit 39 is moved beyond certain` limits. When the 178 engages one of the lugs 179 or 180, the segmental gear- 185 is rotated and closes. the valve 188. l

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that engagement Yof one edge of the fabric 93 with the device237 energizes the fluid motor automatically to move the unit in one direction ,vv-lillev engagement of the Vother edge of the fabric with the other device- 238 causes the unit t-obe moved automaticallyin the opposite direction. Y

Vlhile one of tlieunits 38. or 39 is being. operated', the other one, whichA [is disposed on the opposite side of the platform 24, maybe replenished .with another roll of material 72 and preparedv for' the unwindingoperation. Thus practically continuous operation of the lea-S cette? may. le@ isiufedv by. harlis roll of material upon one. of. the units. at the time the oth f roll- `s exhausted* ready to be reseau were bias; @uiteteconomie method et; .maeeeletiuarells of fabric and .that-.presentaties Gitte. tab@ to bias cutters or other like machinesjcanlie accomplished with@ delay and with. maximum eliiciency.

gli

Although I have illustrated but one forr which my invention may assume and have described in detail but a single application thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but that various minor modications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is l. A fabric feeding device comprising a rotatable support, movable means thereon for supporting a roll of fabric material, means for actuating the movable means and means for connecting the latter rigidly to the ac tuating means and to the rotatable support, alternately.

2. A fabric feeding 'device comprising a rotatable base having a plurality of transversely movable units mounted thereon, means for supporting a roll of flexible material on each unit, means for unwinding the material from the rolls, and means actuated by the unwinding material for controlling the position of the movable units.

3. A fabric feeding device for a bias cutter comprising a support, a rotatable member mounted on the support, a plurality of independently movable frames mounted on the rotatable member, each frame being provided with means for unwinding a roll of material wound within the convolutions of a liner, means adjacent one side of the support for actuating either frame on the rotatable member, and means for rewinding the liner.

4. A fabric feeding device for a bias cutter comprising a rotatable support, a plurality of independently movable frame members mounted upon the support, each member being provided with means for unwinding a roll of material wound within the convolutions of a. liner, means for rewinding the liner, iiuid operated means having a mechanism for engaging the edge of the material, and means operatively connected to the fluid operated means and energized thereby for adjusting the position of the frame members.

5. A fabric feeding device for a bias cutter comprising a rotatable support, a plurality of independently movable frame members mounted upon the support, each member being provided with means for unwinding a roll of material wound within the convolutions of a liner, means for rewinding the liner, Huid operated means having mechanism for engaging the edge of the material. a fluid motor energized by movement of the material against the mechanism for adjusting the position of the frame member and a relay valve connected to the fiuid operated means and being responsive to actuation of the mechanism to control the operation of the motor.

(3. In a fabricfeeding device having means for rotatably supporting a roll of material having a liner wound therein, means for Winding up the liner, a set of parallel rollers rotatable at substantially uniform peripheral velocities and having the material directed therebetween, one of said rollers being adapted to receive the material and direct it in one direct-ion and the other roller being adapted to receive the liner and direct it to the winding means in substantially the opposite direction.

7. In a fabric feeding device having means for rotatably supporting a roll of material having a liner wound therein, means for winding up the liner, a plurality of juxtapositioned uniformly rotatable parallel rollers having the material directed there` between whereby the material engages and follows one roller and the liner engages and follows another roller.

8. A fabric feeding device for a bias cutter comprising means for unwinding a roll of material wound within the convolutions of a liner, means for rewinding the liner, means associated with the two first mentioned means for separating the fabric and liner along a substantially straight line transversely thereof. y

9. A fabric feeding device comprising a supplying reel or supporting a roll of fabric wound within the convolutions of a liner, means for unwinding the roll, means for rewinding the liner, means engaging the fabric transversely substantially along a straight line for separating the liner and fabric along such line, and driving connections operatively interconnecting all of said means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

Signed at Akron, in the county of Summit, and State of Ohio, this 18 day of June, 1927.

ELOV F. MAAS. 

